BMW Certified Mechanics - Learning from the best
Instructor Gerald Young
Perhaps an amateur motorcycle mechanic has been wondering how to turn a hobby into a career.
Each BMW certified mechanic has taken a different path into the shop where they eventually work on our motorcycles. Some of them received formal training at a school just for motorcycle mechanics, some possessed natural talent and ability that lent itself to the trade. For some it is a job they wanted to do all their lives, but others just wanted to make a living doing something that interested them. The very best of them are also riders, and therefore understand the nervousness of the client pacing around the coffee maker, perhaps thumbing through this magazine.
When you take your motorcycle to a BMW Certified Mechanic, you can be certain that he or she has received instruction and passed through rigorous examinations. There are three levels of skilled mechanics, according to BMW certification. In any dealership, you are likely to come across basic, advanced and master mechanics. That will narrow next year to only certified and master certified levels. Students must pass more levels to receive their certification when that change takes place. What happens before they reach that level? How does a person learn what is necessary to become certified?
Back to School at WyoTech
For a moment, let's take a look at a possible career path for a BMW mechanic. If the student is in high school and wants to be a motorcycle mechanic, he or she might consider studying at WyoTech in Ormond Beach, Florida, or one of their other 5 campuses. Formerly the American Motorcycle Institute, WyoTech is part of a system of Corinthian Colleges, Inc. that offers education in trade-specific work on various campuses. There is a motorcycle campus in Freemont, California, but they offer a part-time program because it is a commuter school.
Founded in 1972, AMI was purchased by CCI in 2004 and built a campus for WyoTech in 2006. The impressive 100,000 square foot campus boasts ample classroom and shop space as well as a Dyno facility and administrative offices. WyoTech is located just down the road from Bruce Rossmeyer's Destination Daytona, but is independently owned and operated.
Kenneth Carter, Director of Education at WyoTech, has been with the school for two years. He knows many of the 400 to 450 students by name, and makes it his personal responsibility to guide them and help them advance their careers. "This is the kind of place that makes you feel good about coming to work," Carter said. "Our students can feel that as well." He meets students from all over the United States and Canada that have enrolled at WyoTech. Nearly 70% of their enrollment is for motorcycle training, while about 30% of the students are receiving marine technical training.
The average student at WyoTech is between 18 and 25 years of age, but they have students older than 40 as well. For some, it is a chance at a second career or a way to make money during retirement by working part time. In a recent class admission, the female population of WyoTech doubled from four to eight students, but there are usually about six or seven women studying.
Students are admitted with either a high school diploma, GED or by passing an "Ability to Benefit" test. According to Carter, 75% of the students move to the Ormond and Daytona Beach area to go to school. They attend class from 7 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and their work is structured like it would be at a real shop. They receive classroom instruction and wear uniform shirts, which are color coded to show what division they are studying. Especially gifted and helpful students are given red shirts to signify that they are available as mentors.
WyoTech enrolls and graduates a class every six weeks, and the total program lasts nine months. Students are not expected to have anything but the most basic knowledge of engines when they enroll, although many come in with years of tinkering under their belts. The first six months of instruction is "core" knowledge including general material, frame, suspension, electrical, two-and-four stroke theory and practice. After that, students are split into three fields: Asian, Domestic and Euro (which includes BMW, Ducati and Triumph).
"We want to give our students the opportunity to be as employable as possible," Carter said. "We develop a lot of our curriculum based on dealer feedback. Our attendance policy is based on the expectations of employers." For example, students must be present on campus for 90% of the time they are expected to be there to pass. This information came from a Program Advisory Committee (PAC). Every six months, dealers, owners, service managers and professionals come to campus and review the curriculum and practices of the school. They offer feedback and let the school know how to guide students. They even allow dealers that are on vacation to stop by and give their input.
"We want to be the best educational facility of our type," Carter said. "By receiving guidance from those actually working in the field, we can provide our students with the knowledge that will make them successful when they start working."
After graduation, some mechanics are immediately hired by BMW and other brands. Others will work at independent shops or even start their own businesses. According to Steve Plympton, a teacher at WyoTech, after the last three months of their studies (six weeks of BMW, and three each of Ducati and Triumph if they have chosen to study European motorcycles), they have the opportunity to take a test and leave with basic BMW certification. The certification becomes valid if they are hired by a BMW dealership, and then they can return to WyoTech to receive updates on new models.
"Some students come right out of high school and have never turned a wrench," Plympton said. "Others were helicopter mechanics in the military and decided to come here and learn motorcycles. There is no pre-requisite. You can come in knowing nothing and graduate, ready to go to work."
You might be wondering what the WyoTech campus looks like during Bike Week with its close proximity to Daytona. "It would be impossible to get our students in and out of campus," Carter said, explaining why classes are not held during Bike Week. However, many students volunteer at the school and serve as corner workers at the Daytona International Speedway. They can even assist with technical inspections at the Bike Week races, volunteering with race teams at the AMA races. Opportunities like this provide them with real world applications and networking. For example, Jason Britton was on campus filming Super Bikes during Bike Week 2009. Steve Johnson, NHRA Pro Stock racer was also on campus, and met many students.
BMW Classes and Updates
The WyoTech graduates that take jobs at BMW and Ducati dealerships can expect to return to their alma mater within a few years for updates. BMW and Ducati each have a classroom with work space within the WyoTech facility. All the tools, workbooks and motorcycles for demonstration and instruction are owned by BMW. WyoTech has a formal relationship with BMW to offer BMW-authorized training to WyoTech students and updates to BMW certified mechanics.
Instructor Gerald Young works for WyoTech, but is contracted by BMW to give their certified mechanics updates and training. He has taught for 16 years, and before that he started the BMW program at AMI. The only other person in the same position with BMW is Carl Heckerman, who teaches basic traning, mostly in New Jersey at BMW headquarters. Gerald began working at the now-closed Cycle Care in New Smyrna in 1987.
As of late March, he had already spent 52 nights in a hotel traveling between teaching facilities in Florida, New Jersey and California. BMW uses the WyoTech campus in Florida because they don't own a facility suitable in the Southeast like they do in Ontario, California and Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Chances are the mechanics at your local dealership have received instruction from Gerald. He teaches about 20 BMW certified mechanics per month. Once each year, Gerald travels to Munich to receive one-to-two week updates on the new models from the German trainers and designers.
Whether or not a mechanic has attended WyoTech as a student, a list of online classes must be completed before attending their first class as a BMW mechanic. BMW expects their entry-level mechanics to have basic mechanical knowledge, and these online classes identify the mechanics that are ready to begin work. It is up to individual dealerships to decide how soon to send their mechanics to class or to receive updates. Depending upon the size of the dealership, one or two mechanics are sent to the new model updates, but mechanics from the same shop are not allowed to work together. Travel expenses are up to the dealership and mechanic, but the classes are free to BMW employees. "The only time the dealership has to pay for the class is if the mechanic doesn't show up," Young said.
As of 2009, seven classes must be passed to become a Master Certified mechanic. The Basic level can be attained by passing one week each of Service Diagnostics and Service Software. To become an Advanced level mechanic, classes on Electrics and Engine Management and Electric Systems must be passed. Master Certified mechanics must also pass classes titled Engine Repair, Gearbox and Rear Drive and Small Engine Repair. Next year, things will change as the current Basic and Advanced classes will be combined to qualify a "Certified" mechanic. The classes required to become a Master Mechanic will remain the same. The Small Engine class, added to the curriculum this year, involves the F800, G650 and G450 engines.
Relationship with BMW
"You really couldn't ask for a better relationship than the one between WyoTech and BMW," said WyoTech instructor, Chip Ream. "BMW is extremely supportive of our program. They send us bikes to be used as learning aides that end up as demo models at dealerships. Gerald rides them to put miles on and then our guys do the 600-mile service."
All the new models that come in for the updates for BMW mechanics are uncrated by WyoTech students and given their initial service inspection. Later, they are turned over to be taken apart by BMW mechanics. Chip noted that, "Gerald has an excellent reputation in the industry."
Ream, the Euro segment instructor, used to do what Gerald Young does when the school was known as AMI. He gives his WyoTech students the online courses for BMW as part of their training through a new retailer program. There is a test at the end of each module concerning warranty and service writing, receiving and uncrating, valve adjustments, calculation of flat rate units and billable time.
"About 70% of these guys end up working at a BMW dealership," Chip estimated of the 20 students he has in each class. He added that about 10% of them call him with a specific question once they are out working in the real world.
If you've ever considered doing the work yourself, or wondered why you should take your motorcycle to a Certified Mechanic, Gerald has this to say: "Even if you have a repair manual, you wouldn't have all the updates like the Certified Mechanics do. BMW technicians have all the updates and most current information. We teach them the right way to do things and they get to practice on our bikes before they go out and work on a customer's bike."
Chip Ream agrees that a professional trained mechanic is the best choice. "You can expect an accurate, reliable repair," he said, "Additionally; the dealer has a lot invested in the proper tools and diagnostic machine." Ream admitted that he often sneaks Airhead maintenance into the curriculum because there is still interest in those bikes, as well as older K and R models.
"You'll save the money on diagnostics that you would spend traveling to the dealership," added student Jason Strozier, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia. "I'd like to work at a dealership where I can use the training I've received here," he added, "The tools that prepare you for the real world are here, and the BMW resources are especially outstanding."
Perhaps the next time you take your bike to a dealership for service, Jason will be the one turning wrenches. You can feel confident that he has received proper training and ample hands-on learning studying with Chip at WyoTech. A Certified Mechanic at your local dealership, no matter what level, has also received training from a professional like Gerald and updates as the new models are released.
Learn more about WyoTech or to request enrollment information at http://www.wyotech.edu or call (888) 577-7559.
